Method and apparatus for monitoring telecommunication networks

Abstract: An SS7 signalling network is monitored by measuring and displaying extreme values of: imbalance in message processing load between members of an STP pair; imbalance in message traffic load on A-links between an SSP/SCP and each member of its associated STP pair; and imbalance in message traffic load on individual links of a link set coupled to an SSP/SCP.

Description: Technical Field This invention relates to methods and apparatus for monitoring networks, in particular communications signalling networks. Background Art In modern communications technology it has become common practice to provide two related but separate network infrastructures: a transmission network for carrying end-user data traffic, and a signalling network for controlling operation of the transmission network in accordance with control signals transferred through the signalling network. In practice such signalling networks comprise high-speed computers interconnected by signalling links; computer programs control the computers to provide a set of operational and signalling functions in accordance with a standardized protocol. One example of such a signalling protocol is the Signalling System No. 7 (SS7) which is being extensively deployed for control of telephone and other data transmission networks. An SS7 network basically comprises various types of signalling points, such as signalling switching points (SSPs), which include signalling end points (SEPs) associated for example with respective end stations in the transmission network, and service control points (SCPs), all interconnected via signalling links by signalling transfer points (STPs). The large size and complexity of data transmission networks entails a correspondingly large and complex signalling network, controlled by very sophisticated computer programs. The complexity of signalling networks is increased by the need to provide redundancy to ensure that failure of a single component of the network does not cause failure of the entire network, and thus of the associated transmission network. Thus, for example, it is common in an SS7 network to provide each SSP or SCP with at least two signalling links connected to respective ones of a pair of geographically-separated STPs. It has been found that, despite or because of this complexity, in certain circumstances changes and/or failures of components in a signalling network can cause serious malfunctions of the signalling network, and in extreme cases can result in complete failure of the signalling network and its associated transmission network. The complexity and speed of operation of the signalling network can make detection and cure of the fault very difficult. It is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for at least ameliorating this problem. The paper "Minimum-cost dimensioning model for common channel signaling networks under joint performance and reliability constraints" by Y. Lim, IEEE Global Telecommunications Conf. & Exhibition, Dallas, Nov 1989, vol. 1, pp. 180-184, describes a method, based on specified assumptions, of modelling operation of a signalling network. Disclosure of Invention According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of monitoring a signalling network having a plurality of signalling points (e.g. SEPs or other kinds of SSP, and/or SCPs) coupled by respective first signalling links to a first signalling point (e.g. one member of an STP pair) and by respective second signalling links to a second signalling point (e.g. the other member of the STP pair), characterised by: monitoring the number of messages transferred over each of said signalling links; deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by each of said first and second signalling points; and deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points. We have found that this measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points, referred to herein as the STP Pair load balance, provides a convenient and effective indication of certain kinds of potential problems affecting proper operation of the signalling network. According to another aspect of this invention there is provided apparatus for monitoring a signalling network having a plurality of signalling points coupled by respective first signalling links to a first signalling point and by respective second signalling links to a second signalling point, characterised by: means for monitoring the number of messages transferred over each of said signalling links; means for deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by each of said first and second signalling points; and means for deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points. Brief Description of Drawings A method and apparatus in accordance with this invention for monitoring a signalling network will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of part of an SS7 signalling network; Figure 2 is a flow diagram of a procedure used in deriving measurements of the operation of the network; and Figure 3 is an illustration of a spider diagram containing measurements of the operation of the network. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention, & Industrial Applicability Referring to Figure 1, an SS7 network 10 typically includes signalling transfer points (STPs) 12 arranged in pairs as at 14. STPs operate to transfer signalling messages, for controlling switching of an associated transmission network (not shown), between signalling switching points (SSPs) 16 and other parts of the signalling network 10. The SSPs 16 are coupled to the STPs 12 by signalling link sets 18 each comprising a plurality of individual signalling links. The number of signalling links in a link set is chosen to provide appropriate capacity for the level of signalling traffic expected between the associated SSP and STP. The STPs are in turn coupled to each other and to other parts of the signalling network 10 by further signalling links. It should be noted that an SS7 network belonging to an individual transmission network operator will typically comprise many STP pairs and associated SSPs and/or SCPs. However, because the present invention may be implemented identically for each STP pair, for the sake of clarity Figure 1 shows only one such pair. To provide redundancy each SSP 16 is coupled by respective link sets A and B to at least two STPs (i.e. the members of an STP pair), which are geographically separated. If all parts of the network are operating normally, the overall signalling traffic handled by an STP pair should ideally be evenly distributed between the members of the pair. Likewise, the signalling traffic from any one SSP should be evenly distributed between the two link sets coupling that SSP to each member of its associated STP pair, and the signalling traffic over each link set should be evenly distributed between the links making up that link set. Probes 20 (e.g. Hewlett-Packard Signaling Test Set 37900D) are connected to monitor the signalling traffic on every link in each link set coupled to an STP. These probes may use any convenient method to accumulate data on the link traffic; thus, for example, the technique based on random sampling of messages as described in European patent application No. 0 477 448 may be used. The data obtained may include, for example, counts of various different categories of messages (as indicated by indentification bits in the message headers) transferred over the signalling links, and counts of the bytes (octets) which constitute those messages. The different message categories may include system management messages, system maintenance messages, messages associated with telephone calls, and messages associated with ISDN (integrated services digital network) communications. The probes 20 are arranged to aggregate together the link traffic data thus obtained to enable convenient derivation of the measurements described below. For example, the individual probes may be connected via RS-232 links to respective control and communications devices, in turn interconnected by a wide-area network (WAN, not shown) to transmit the collected data to appropriate equipment at a single site for analysis. The link traffic data are used to derive the following measurements: STP Pair load balance The total loads of messages processed by the two STPs in a pair (STPLoad1 and STPLoad2) are derived from counts of message bytes monitored by the probes 20; the STP Pair load balance is then obtained from the expression max(STPLoad1/(STPLoad1+STPLoad2),STPLoad2/(STPLoad1+STPLoad2)) where the expression max(m,n) indicates selection of whichever of the values m and n is the greater. It can be seen that the load balance is expressed relative to the sum total of messages processed by both STPs in the pair; thus the load balance is 0.5 when the loads on the two STPs are balanced, and tends towards zero or unity as an STP carries less or more than a balanced share of the total load. The calculation is repeated for each STP pair, and the pairs (in this example ten) with the highest values (i.e. largest load imbalances) are identified. Figure 2 shows a procedure by which the individual STPLoad values, and the STP Pair load balance values, can be obtained. These values may be derived in relation to messages of all types processed by the STPs, or, as indicated by the dashed line box in Figure 2, in relation to messages of a particular type. SSP Connection balance The total loads of messages transferred over each of the link sets A and B (LoadA and LoadB) for an SSP are derived from counts of message bytes monitored by the probes 20; the SSP Connection balance is then obtained from the expression max(LoadA/(LoadA + LoadB),LoadB/(LoadA + LoadB)) This calculation is repeated for each SSP, and the ten SSPs with the highest values (i.e. largest connection imbalances) are identified. A procedure similar to that in Figure 2 may be used, with link sets A and B, and link set loads, substituted for STP Pairs and STP loads respectively. Link load balance The total loads of messages transferred over each of the links in a link set (LinkLoad1,LinkLoad2,...,LinkLoadX, where X is the number of links in the set) are derived from counts of message bytes monitored by the probes 20; the Link load balance is then obtained from the expression max(LinkLoad1/(LinkLoad1+LinkLoad2+..+LinkLoadX),LinkLoad2/(LinkLoad1+ LinkLoad2+..+LinkLoadX),..,LinkLoadX/(LinkLoad1+LinkLoad2+..+LinkLoadX)) This calculation is repeated for each link set, and the ten link sets with the highest values (i.e. largest imbalances between the constituent links) are identified. A procedure similar to that in Figure 2 may be used, with the links in a link set, and the link loads, substituted for STP Pairs and STP loads respectively. In this case the link load balance will have a value of 1/X when the message load is balanced across all links in a link set. The values of STP Pair load balance, SSP Connection balance and Link load balance may be displayed in any convenient manner, in conjunction with other measurements derived from data obtained by the probes 20. Thus, for example, the technique described in European patent application No. EP-A-0 598 484 may be used to enable a user readily to identify those parts of the network which have particularly high values of these parameters. An example of a set of spider diagrams generated in accordance with that technique is shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 3, a Load Monitor diagram displays the maximum normalized value of each of eight parameters: STP B'lnce the highest value of STP Pair Load balance derived as described above SSP B'lnce the highest value of SSP Connection balance derived as described above Link B'lnce the highest value of Link load balance derived as described above STP Load the number of messages processed by the STP with the maximum value of that parameter SSP Load the number of messages processed by the SSP with the maximum value of that parameter A Link Load the number of messages processed by the A Link (SSP to STP) with the maximum value of that parameter C Link Load the number of messages processed by the C Link with the maximum value of that parameter D Link Load the number of messages processed by the D Link with the maximum value of that parameter An SNM Monitor diagram displays the maximum normalized value of another eight parameters: LSSUs Link Status Signalling Units SLTs Signalling Link Tests A-SNMs A Link Signalling Network Management messages C-SNMs C Link Signalling Network Management messages D-SNMs D Link Signalling Network Management messages Link cgt Link congestion STP cgt STP congestion Routing Adjacent point codes contained in Route Set Test messages A Calls Monitor diagram displays the maximum normalized value of four parameters: qos quality of service (ratio to failed calls to calls attempted) c/attmp call setup attempts tx i/c rels transmission of incomplete call releases rx i/c rels reception of incomplete call releases

Claims: A method of monitoring a signalling network (10) having a plurality of signalling points (16) coupled by respective first signalling links (A) to a first signalling point (12) and by respective second signalling links (B) to a second signalling point (12), characterised by: monitoring (20) the number of messages transferred over each of said signalling links (18); deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by each of said first and second signalling points (12); and deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points (12). The method of claim 1, including monitoring the size of messages transferred over each of said signalling links (18). The method of claim 1 or claim 2, including the step of deriving said measurements for each of a plurality of first and second signalling points (12), and identifying the maximum value of said measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points (12). The method of any one of the preceding claims, including the steps of: deriving a measurement of the total number of messages transferred by a signalling point (16) to each of said first and second signalling points (12) respectively; and deriving a measurement of the total number of messages transferred by a signalling point (16) to at least one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages transferred by that signalling point (16) to said first and second signalling points (12). The method of claim 4, including the step of deriving said measurements of messages transferred by a signalling point (16) for each of a plurality of signalling points (16), and identifying the maximum value of said measurement of the total number of messages transferred by a signalling point (16) to at least one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages transferred by that signalling point (16) to said first and second signalling points (12). The method of any one of the preceding claims, including the steps of: deriving a measurement of the total number of messages transferred over each link (18) of a link set (A,B) coupling a signalling point (16) to one of said first and second signalling points (12); and deriving a measurement of the total number of messages transferred over at least one link (18) of a link set coupling a signalling point (16) to one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages transferred over all links (18) of that link set. The method of claim 6, including the step of deriving said measurements of the total number of messages transferred over links (18) of a link set (A,B) for each of a plurality of link sets, and identifying the maximum value of said measurement of the total number of messages transferred over at least one link (18) of a link set coupling a signalling point (16) to one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages transferred over all links (18) of that link set. Apparatus for monitoring a signalling network (10) having a plurality of signalling points (16) coupled by respective first signalling links (A) to a first signalling point (12) and by respective second signalling links (B) to a second signalling point (12), characterised by: means (20) for monitoring the number of messages transferred over each of said signalling links (18); means for deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by each of said first and second signalling points (12); and means for deriving a measurement of the total number of messages processed by at least one of said first and second signalling points (12) relative to the sum total of messages processed by said first and second signalling points (12).

Inventors: CLARKE DAVID, CLARKE, DAVID
Applicants: AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES INC, AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: H04Q1
IPC codes: H04Q1, H04M3, H04L29, H04Q3